WEBVTT - Bucs RB Options, Scouting Combine Preview | Bucs Insider

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<v Speaker 1>Good morning everybody. It is Wednesday morning, which means it

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<v Speaker 1>is time for Buccaneers Insider Live, presented by Miller light

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<v Speaker 1>Casey Phillips. Here was senior writer and editor Scott Smith.

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<v Speaker 1>And as you can tell, I get a fancy new

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<v Speaker 1>background today and this I'm in the control room at

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<v Speaker 1>the stadium, which is very cool. We have something going

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<v Speaker 1>on at the stadium later, so I figured it'd be

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<v Speaker 1>easier to just go ahead and head on over here

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<v Speaker 1>and a little bit of a sneak peek on maybe

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<v Speaker 1>what Insider is gonna look like moving forward. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I know this is what people live for, right is

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<v Speaker 1>news about the program that brings them the news. But yes,

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<v Speaker 1>so soon Scott and I will be doing our show

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<v Speaker 1>from in here. It's gonna be awesome for now. Of course,

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<v Speaker 1>this is where we take all of your questions, thoughts, comments,

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<v Speaker 1>all of the things you're not already watching on the

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<v Speaker 1>Buccaneers Facebook page. You can head on over there, and

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<v Speaker 1>that is where I will find them as in the

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<v Speaker 1>comment section underneath our live videos. As we get people

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<v Speaker 1>a chance to start leaving them there. I figured we

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<v Speaker 1>would talk about some of the upcoming things on the

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<v Speaker 1>schedule that this time of year. I know it can

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<v Speaker 1>seem like there's not a lot going on, but thankfully

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<v Speaker 1>we will have. We have a couple of things already

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<v Speaker 1>in progress. Where tell us a little bit about the

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<v Speaker 1>franchise tag deadlines. Yeah, the franchise tag window, the window

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<v Speaker 1>for putting franchise or transition tags on your players, actually

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<v Speaker 1>open yesterday, which was Tuesday. Did you notice that yesterday? Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>it was already. It was already a big day for

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<v Speaker 1>anybody who like that kind of thing. But then it's

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<v Speaker 1>the beginning of the franchise tag window. Though honestly, they

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<v Speaker 1>probably just should say when the franchise tag deadline is,

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<v Speaker 1>because teams genuinely wait till the very end of it anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>just in case something happens that's relevant. There's no rush

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<v Speaker 1>to put the tag on right now. They can't become

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<v Speaker 1>a free agent until like eight days after the franchise

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<v Speaker 1>tag windows, So I don't think you're gonna see a

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<v Speaker 1>ton of activity on that until you get much closer

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<v Speaker 1>to the March eighth deadline. But you might start seeing

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<v Speaker 1>some teams using those tags at this point, and the

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<v Speaker 1>Books could be one of them, right, And so tell

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<v Speaker 1>people a little bit again about who we think has

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<v Speaker 1>a chance of it being used on who even qualifies

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<v Speaker 1>for that. Just a little bit more about how that works. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>there's three types of tags you can use. There's an

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<v Speaker 1>exclusive franchise tag and there's a non exclusive franchise tag.

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<v Speaker 1>And as those names suggest, one of them, the exclusive

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<v Speaker 1>one means nobody else can negotiate with this player, and

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<v Speaker 1>the exclusive non exclusive one says other teams can negotiate

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<v Speaker 1>with the player. And the reason you would choose non

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<v Speaker 1>exclusive over exclusive is because the formula for figuring out

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<v Speaker 1>the one year salary comes out a little bit lower

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<v Speaker 1>because it's like the average of the top ten guys

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<v Speaker 1>at the position rather than top five. It's more complicated

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<v Speaker 1>than that, but that's the basic idea. Um. If you

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<v Speaker 1>run an exclusive tag and another team signs you to

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<v Speaker 1>an offer, the home team has the h has the

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<v Speaker 1>team that owned that player originally, I mean owned the

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<v Speaker 1>team that had the contract that player originally has the

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<v Speaker 1>right to match, and if they don't match, they get

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<v Speaker 1>compensation and it's usually like two first round draft picks.

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<v Speaker 1>So even though it's a non exclusive tag, you almost

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<v Speaker 1>never see those players go to other teams. And then

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<v Speaker 1>the transition tag is like the non exclusive tag, except

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<v Speaker 1>you don't get any compensation if you don't match. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's just a matter of how much do you want

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<v Speaker 1>to commit to the salary and how much protection that

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<v Speaker 1>gives you for keeping that player. And as we talked

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<v Speaker 1>about when we discussed this this idea last week, to me,

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<v Speaker 1>the most likely one on the Buck's long list of

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<v Speaker 1>free agents is cornerback Carlton Davis. Uh. It's just hard

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<v Speaker 1>to let a twenty five year old, potential shutdown cornerback go,

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<v Speaker 1>and that's a really hard thing to develop in the NFL.

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<v Speaker 1>And so I know the Buckets will try to keep

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<v Speaker 1>Carlton as much as I possibly can. Okay, And the

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<v Speaker 1>next on the schedule is the Combine. I know you

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<v Speaker 1>and I are both going to be heading out there

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<v Speaker 1>next week. You'll be there to hear UH coach and

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<v Speaker 1>Jason speak whenever they have their press conferences, and I'll

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<v Speaker 1>be doing some interviews with some of our scouting department

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<v Speaker 1>another front office people. So make sure everybody stays tuned

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<v Speaker 1>for all the coverage on that on Buccaneers dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>But UH, tell us a little bit about the Combine

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<v Speaker 1>after not having it last year, what we thought it

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<v Speaker 1>might look like this year, what we think it is

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<v Speaker 1>gonna look like, and how that could potentially affect being

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<v Speaker 1>able to find some of these players is compared to

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<v Speaker 1>years like last year where it didn't exist. Well, first

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<v Speaker 1>of all, a little more on what you're talking about

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<v Speaker 1>about what we're gonna be doing up there. We are

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<v Speaker 1>also on Buccaneers got dot Com going to carry the

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<v Speaker 1>Bruce Arians and Jason light press conferences from the podiums live,

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<v Speaker 1>so you can watch that. I'll be there covering it

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<v Speaker 1>and tweeting about it. Those two guys generally also do

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<v Speaker 1>an off camera session, just a little roundtable with any

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<v Speaker 1>Buccaneers writers that are there, So there's even more to

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<v Speaker 1>get from that, and I'll be reporting on that as well,

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<v Speaker 1>and then we'll have our show from there on Wednesday morning.

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<v Speaker 1>Um right, yep, absolutely, so that's gonna be great. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>But yeah, so I know there was some interesting news

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<v Speaker 1>about the combine itself recently. Yeah, the NFL had announced

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<v Speaker 1>that the players are going to be in a bubble,

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<v Speaker 1>pretty restrictive bubble while they were there, and for obvious reasons.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what the motivation for that was. But I

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<v Speaker 1>think the part that really UM a lot of the

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<v Speaker 1>players and their agents didn't like was they were. They

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<v Speaker 1>would have been restricted to one support person, so they

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<v Speaker 1>only have one, say, trainer, and some of them have

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<v Speaker 1>a number of trainers and others that are there to

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<v Speaker 1>help them with the medical side of it, with getting

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<v Speaker 1>right ready for their workouts and optimizing the workouts. And

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<v Speaker 1>so I think around a hundred and fifth years so

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<v Speaker 1>UH prospects had protested and there was the possibility of

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<v Speaker 1>them not coming, and the NFL has since decided to

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<v Speaker 1>scrap the bubble prospect the bubble idea, and it will

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<v Speaker 1>be more like a regular combine. And so it looks

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<v Speaker 1>like all three are in thirty or so prospects are

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<v Speaker 1>going to be there, so you know, as always the combine,

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<v Speaker 1>it is a great opportunity. Even though these guys are

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<v Speaker 1>very well scouted by scouts and coaches around the league

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<v Speaker 1>and here in this building through their game tape. UH,

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<v Speaker 1>they it's a really good opportunity for the entire league

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<v Speaker 1>to be in one spot and for teams to be

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<v Speaker 1>able to get a whole lot of one on one

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<v Speaker 1>interviews with these players. Last year, those those interviews had

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<v Speaker 1>to be done by Zoom and as Jason Lats has said,

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<v Speaker 1>they did a great job of making it work. But

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<v Speaker 1>clearly this is a better opportunity for both the players

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<v Speaker 1>and the personnel people in the league. So getting everybody

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<v Speaker 1>in the same spot and getting those meetings is probably

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<v Speaker 1>the part that teams missed last year that they're going

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<v Speaker 1>to enjoy this year, okay, And then getting to some

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<v Speaker 1>of our questions from the Facebook page, age asked, how

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<v Speaker 1>do you see the backfield shaping up? Who do you

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<v Speaker 1>see staying? Who do you see leaving offensive backfield? I

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<v Speaker 1>assume that means so the only two guys that are

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<v Speaker 1>under contract right now are Keyshaw Vaughan and Kenyan Barner. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>Keyshawn Vaughan, I would assume he would stay and maybe

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<v Speaker 1>get a chance at a bigger role. Leonard Fournette and

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<v Speaker 1>Ronald Jones and Giovanni Bernard as well. But for Neette

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<v Speaker 1>and Jones, who went into last season sort of list

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<v Speaker 1>as one A, one B as starters, they're both unrestricted

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<v Speaker 1>free agents. I would be shocked if we got both

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<v Speaker 1>of them back. I think the Buccaneers would would probably

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<v Speaker 1>love to get one of them back. Um Leonard Fournette

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<v Speaker 1>obviously took over as the main back. He was so

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<v Speaker 1>great in the playoffs all the way to the Super Bowl,

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<v Speaker 1>and then even though at the beginning of last year,

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<v Speaker 1>Bruce arians was calling for Jones starters one A and

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<v Speaker 1>one B, basically it didn't take for Nette long to

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<v Speaker 1>really take over that role. And the fact that he's

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<v Speaker 1>a decent pass catcher, high volume pass catcher, really out

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<v Speaker 1>of the backfield and his blocking has improved me you

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<v Speaker 1>could put him on the field for three downs and

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<v Speaker 1>I think that's why. Probably he was the guy that

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<v Speaker 1>really grabbed that biggest part of the role. So I

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<v Speaker 1>would think he'd be a guy the Buccaneers would like

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<v Speaker 1>that back, but after playing on two consecutive one year deals,

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<v Speaker 1>he might be looking for something a little bit long,

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<v Speaker 1>more long term. Okay, And our next one is from Jonathan.

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<v Speaker 1>He asked, do you think Gronk will stay with the Bucks?

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<v Speaker 1>And then I'll kind of add to that of just

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<v Speaker 1>in general, what do you think that tight end room

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<v Speaker 1>could look like? And I mean for years it's been

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<v Speaker 1>something that the Bucks have not needed to look at

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<v Speaker 1>and draft and free agency, it was just it was

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<v Speaker 1>one of the most set rooms there were. What do

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<v Speaker 1>you think could potentially it could look like this year

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<v Speaker 1>some of the changes that could be made, and do

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<v Speaker 1>you think Gronk will be a part of it. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>Rob Gronkowski decided to come back after his one year

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<v Speaker 1>of retirement. I'm sure part of that was because he

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<v Speaker 1>felt better. Um, you know, he originally retired basically just

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<v Speaker 1>because of an accumulation of injuries and aches and pains,

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<v Speaker 1>and and after a year off he felt better. But

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not sure he would have come out of retirement

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<v Speaker 1>if it hadn't been to play with Tom Brady. And

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<v Speaker 1>now that Tom Brady has said he won't be playing, Um,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I think to me, that's a domino in

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<v Speaker 1>the direction of Rob Gronkowski not coming back. Now, I

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<v Speaker 1>hope that's not the case, because yes, he has a

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<v Speaker 1>special connection with with Tom Brady, but he could still

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<v Speaker 1>be a very very valuable piece of the offense with

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<v Speaker 1>any quarterback we had out there. So I just thought

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<v Speaker 1>when Tom Brady retired that that would be if you

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<v Speaker 1>were if you were nudging Rob Gronkowski in one direction

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<v Speaker 1>or other, that I would seen nudge and more towards

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<v Speaker 1>not coming back. And then uh, come wrong, Hope I'm wrong, Yeah, right,

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<v Speaker 1>I I agree, um Cord had brought up the free

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<v Speaker 1>agents on the defensive line and what that group could

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<v Speaker 1>potentially look like this next year. Okay, so the free

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<v Speaker 1>agent Sary and Dominican Sue and if we're calling, are

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<v Speaker 1>we I guess we're probably counting the addressers as part

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<v Speaker 1>of that. So j PP when domin Kan Sue, Will Golston, Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>Steve McClendon, Oh, I do have a list over there,

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<v Speaker 1>Steve mcclindon. I think that's it. Um, Patrick Cock Connors

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<v Speaker 1>are a restrictive free agent. Oh in Dominican Sue? Did

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<v Speaker 1>I say that one? Yeah? Um? Yeah? Again? Is the

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<v Speaker 1>Dominicant suite part is he's been playing on one year

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<v Speaker 1>contracts for a number of years now, which has always

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<v Speaker 1>led me to believe that he is contemplating each offseason

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<v Speaker 1>if he wants to continue his career. You know, he's

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<v Speaker 1>already played twelve seasons and he never misses a game

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<v Speaker 1>and for most of his career has played a huge

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<v Speaker 1>number of snaps. So this is a guy that's played

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of football. Uh. Still very effective for us

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<v Speaker 1>the last couple of years, obviously, But I think that

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<v Speaker 1>all comes down to him. Uh, it's pretty obvious from

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<v Speaker 1>hearing Will Golston talk that he loves being in Tampa,

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<v Speaker 1>that he really likes his fit here with this team

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<v Speaker 1>and especially in this defense. His career has really been rejuvenated,

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<v Speaker 1>I think over the last three years because he's been

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<v Speaker 1>such a perfect fit in Todd Bowles's defense. So, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>assuming that they can make that price work, I we

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<v Speaker 1>think he'd want to come back. He's already played two

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<v Speaker 1>full contracts, which is pretty awesome, especially for a fourth

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<v Speaker 1>row pick. And then you're talking about Steve McClendon JPP.

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<v Speaker 1>JPP may have a lot to do with how he

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<v Speaker 1>feels um and I don't know. I really can't speak

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<v Speaker 1>much to what Steve mcclinton's plans might be. Okay, well,

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<v Speaker 1>that is going to do it for us on this

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<v Speaker 1>edition of Buccaneers Insider Live presented by Miller Lite. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>as always for those amazing questions and we will see

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<v Speaker 1>you next week from the Combine in Indianapolis. To make

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<v Speaker 1>sure you tune in